TATTOO ARTIST / FERNDALE, MICHIGAN
Johnny
Andres
Cosmic surrealism. Tattoos & fine art.
Wildlife, imagined worlds, and large-scale compositions made to follow the body.
Tattooing since 2002. By appointment at Dark Sky Tattoo, 646 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, Michigan, near Detroit.
SELECTED WORK / 01–08
Tattoos by Johnny Andres
Color, movement, and stories that wrap around the body. Open a piece to see the full composition in motion.
01 / TATTOO FILMCosmic explorerOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open cosmic explorer video.
02 / TATTOO FILMEye of the cosmosOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open eye of the cosmos video.
03 / TATTOO FILMFractal worldsOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open fractal worlds video.
04 / TATTOO FILMNature, reimaginedOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open nature, reimagined video.
05 / TATTOO FILMWorlds withinOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open worlds within video.
06 / TATTOO FILMSkull & seaOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open skull & sea video.
07 / TATTOO FILMPrehistoric worldOpen film
Silent portfolio film. Open prehistoric world video.
08 / TATTOO PHOTOGRAPHWildlife & wildernessView full piece
All tattoos shown here are by Johnny Andres. For work in progress and current updates, follow Johnny on Instagram ↗.
JOHNNY ANDRES
TATTOOS · PAINTING · DIGITAL ART
THE ARTIST
Behind the work
I’m Johnny Andres, a tattoo artist working in Ferndale, Michigan. I began my apprenticeship with Jack Mosher at Body Armor in Kalamazoo in 2001 and have been tattooing professionally since 2002.
My work brings realism together with the imaginative worlds of science fiction and fantasy. I call that approach Cosmic Surrealism: natural subjects, otherworldly environments, atmospheric movement, and the sense that there is more beyond the edge of the image.
I think about a tattoo like a book cover or a film poster: one composition that suggests a much larger story. I’m especially drawn to sleeves and large, multi-session pieces that flow continuously around the body.
More about my approach
Painting and digital art inform my tattoo work. My influences range from the imaginative worlds of Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, John Harris, and John Berkey to Art Nouveau, and tattoo artists including Adrian Lee, Filip Leu, Shige, Jeff Gogue, Steve Moore, and Guy Aitchison.
I opened Dark Sky Tattoo in 2019 as a private, appointment-only studio: a comfortable place to focus on the art and the person wearing it. The subject matter can vary; the aim is always an immersive piece that feels unique to you.
TATTOO & ART INQUIRIES
Talk tattoos.
Have a tattoo idea, a question about an artwork, or a project you’d like to explore? Tell me about it below.
Give me a little context.
- Your idea and the subjects that matter to you
- Body placement, approximate size, and color or black & grey
- Any existing tattoos in the area
- Where you’re based and any travel or timing considerations
You don’t need a finished concept to start a conversation. Appointments are arranged directly; sending an inquiry does not book a session.
Tell me about your idea
JOHNNY ANDRES
Dark Sky Tattoo · Ferndale, Michigan